1 76 HANDS, VOICE, WHIP AND SPUR. 



catch the thong with precision for four-in-hand driving; 

 and the lady's hunter must also be trained to stand 

 having a whip cracked on his back, before any experi- 

 ment of that kind is performed in the hunting field. 

 It is a good plan to first accustom hunters to the 

 cracking of a whip in or near their stables, letting them 

 see the performance, and, after a ridden horse will 

 quietly stand the whip being flicked, his rider may 

 safely crack it, supposing, of course, she is able to 

 wield her flail correctly, and without touching the 

 animal ; hence the necessity of acquiring precision in 

 this art before attempting it on horseback. An expe- 

 rienced hunting woman tells me that women should 

 be as useful in the field as men ; but I fear that is 

 impossible, for we cannot get on and off our horses as 

 easily as men, to render prompt help in cases of emer- 

 gency ; hold open a gate on a windy day, or perform 

 the numerous kindly acts which fall to the lot of the 

 mere male. Besides, however active and well- 

 intentioned we may be, we are hampered by our 

 dress, and still more so by the want of it, in the case of 

 an apron skirt. If a crop is used for hacking, say in 

 the Row, the thong should be taken off, for it would look 

 as much out of place there as a pink hunting coat. 

 The whip should be always carried handle downwards, 

 on the off-side, as if we were trying to conceal its pres- 

 ence, and not as though we were riding with "a rein in 

 each hand, and a whip in the other." 



In a country of hedges, like the Shires, it is well to 

 acquire the habit of holding the whip in such a way 



